Replay
by PoeticLover1996
Summary: She wanted to let him in; he wanted to open her eyes and show her a world full of possibilities. Sally wondered why she was so willing to fall with him, to open her heart up to him. She never really cared for romance, but something about Shadow made her want to fall and give love a try.
1. One

"Replay"

Written by PoeticLover1996

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, no matter how much I wish they were.

So! Here I am writing another story. I'm just testing the waters with this one, so feel free to tell me what you think!

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One

Sally could only viciously glare at her reflection, cringing at how ridiculously _girly_ she looked. Her auburn hair was curled to perfection and was pinned up in a neat bun. Her lips were stained a beautiful shade of red, and she wore smokey eye shadow that made her sapphire eyes shimmer and pop. Or at least, that's what her friends told her.

Yes, her _wonderful_ friends had set her up on a blind date. Why they had done such a ludicrous thing was beyond her understanding. It wasn't as if she was lonely, because she wasn't. She was perfectly content with being single. But, she wasn't going to deny that she sometimes felt a little out of place whenever she went out somewhere with her friends.

Maybe that was because they were all paired off while she was still single.

Since Eggman didn't attack as much as he used to, the world was pretty much safe for the time being. So, the heroes all decided to relax and enjoy their lives and newfound freedom while there was still time to enjoy it. With this newfound peace, everyone slow began pairing off.

Sonic and Amy were dating (_it's about damn time!_), Knuckles and Rouge were dating (_no surprise there_), Tails and Cream were dating (_they make such an adorable couple_), and Silver and Blaze were (_I love these two together!_). Now that Sally thought about it, she and Shadow were the only two who remained single.

"Well, whatever. I'm just gonna suffer through this pointless date, pretend it never happened, and get on with my life," Sally grumbled, jutting her chin out in childish defiance, pouting adorably. She heard a knock on her door and rolled her eyes.

_Let the fun begin,_ she thought as she grabbed her purse and headed downstairs. It took her a bit longer than normal to get down there because the black, five inch heels Rouge insisted that she wear slowed her down. She wore a beautiful black dress that was off the shoulders and stopped mid-thigh. It hugged her figure nicely and showed off curves she wasn't even aware she possessed.

When she finally made it to her living room, she strutted to the door and opened it. As her eyes met the person standing on her welcome mat, she felt them widen in shock. She nearly did a double take, not believing what she was seeing.

"_Shadow_!? _You're_ my date?" Said hedgehog merely smirked at her, his crimson eyes ablaze with amusement. He was dressed up for the occasion too, wearing a white, long-sleeved dress shirt, a black tie, and black dress pants. How he managed to make something so simple look so damn _good_ was a mystery.

He still had on his hover shoes and matching gloves though, and his Inhibitor rings gleamed in the moonlight. Sally licked her suddenly dry lips, and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't deny how handsome he looked; she felt her face burn as she blushed hotly, her heart hammering away against her ribs.

Shadow noticed this but said nothing, though his smirk widened. Shadow silently appraised her, drinking in the heavenly image before him. He couldn't help but notice how nicely she's filled in over the years. From her beautiful face to those deliciously wide hips of hers, Shadow couldn't deny how _stunning_ she looked.

"I'm just as surprised as you are, but I won't lie and say I'm disappointed it's you. I'd be a fool not to want to be seen with a woman as flawless and gorgeous as you on my arm, princess," Shadow said, bowing lowly as he grabbed her hand and kissed it. When his lips brushed against her bare hand, she felt ripples of delight dancing along the column of her spine.

"T-thanks, Shadow. You don't look so bad yourself," Sally said, smiling almost shyly at him. She briefly looked away, suddenly feeling nervous. Why? She wasn't so sure. It was only Shadow, and she knew him. She should be thankful it wasn't some random stranger, or things would've been seriously awkward.

With that thought in mind, she steeled herself and faced Shadow once more; this time, she felt more confident and at ease. When their eyes met, it seemed as if time itself stopped, but Sally quickly dismissed the thought as soon as it appeared.

"I brought you some flowers." And he handed her a bouquet of blue roses before she had a chance to blink. Sally, stunned by his sweet gesture, couldn't help but smile.

"How sweet! And they're my favorite color too! Let me put them in a vase and then we can go to… wherever it is that we're going." As soon as she was inside and out of hearing range, Shadow dug inside his pocket and pulled out his phone. Quickly, he dialed a number and waited.

"_So! I'm guessing she loved the roses, or am I wrong?"_

"For once in your life, you were actually right about something. She loved them; her face lit up when I gave them to her. I should've never doubted you."

"_You really shouldn't! Believe it or not, I know a thing or two about romance. How do you think I won Blaze over?"_ Silver joked, and Shadow chuckled, shaking his head.

"I don't know, man. Sally doesn't seem to be the type to go for the romantic shit."

"_That's because she doesn't have anyone to show it to her. Look, Shadow, she obviously likes you; if she didn't, she would've slammed the door in your face as soon as she saw you. Show her a good time and sweep her off of her feet in your own, Shadow way. Let her come to you, okay?"_

"Can do, Silver. I'll let you know how it went when I come back, and tell Sonic to stop making bets with Knuckles behind my fucking back!" Shadow growled; he could easily hear Sonic talking in the background, no doubt betting money he didn't need to. It was moments like these that made Shadow want to kick Sonic out of their apartment, but Silver always managed to talk him out of it.

He hung up his phone and put it back inside his pocket. He did so just in time because Sally was back, looking visibly calmer than she did when they initially saw each other. She stepped outside, pulling her door shut; after making sure it was locked, she looked at him expectantly.

"So, where are we going?" Shadow thought about the advice Silver had given him and decided to use it.

"Well, where would you like to go?" he asked. Sally was caught off guard, though she made sure not to show it. She was flattered that Shadow valued how she felt and what she thought.

"Let's go somewhere nice to eat. I don't want my friends' hard work to go to waste," Sally joked, and she was pleased to see him smiling. It wasn't huge or anything, but it was a smile nonetheless. Her hand grazed her cheek, turning his face so that they were looking directly at each other.

"You should smile more. You look really nice when you smile, not that you don't already look nice. You're a very handsome guy." She knew she was blushing, but she held his gaze, smiling softly at him. She felt Shadow's fingers tracing her face, and she felt herself leaning into his touch.

"You think I'm handsome?"

"Yes. I mean, you really are a good-looking guy. I think I like your eyes the most, though. They're like melted pools of rubies or something nice like that," she said, her blush deepening, though her courage and smile didn't lessen.

Shadow couldn't help but smile at her honesty. She was so innocent and sweet; like a moth to a flame, he was drawn to her. Being with her was like stepping into a different world, and he hoped she felt the same way too.

"I guess great minds think alike because I really like your eyes the most as well. They're like an endless ocean of sapphire waters, and I feel myself longing to take a dive and swim beneath their depths to see what I can find."

He spoke with such conviction, and his voice held such an unshakeable truth in it. Sally was both touched and impressed by his words. She found his hand and held it firmly in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She leaned against him and smiled when she felt him squeeze her hand back as he wrapped an arm around her waist, hugging her closer to him.

She rested her head on his shoulder and breathed in his scent. He smelled wonderful, like exotic spices and something else that was so unique and exhilarating and just _him_. Although Sally was unsure of how the night would end, she knew that somehow just being near Shadow, _with_ him, was good enough for her.


	2. Two

Thanks to Pura blaze, TheDivines, XxCrimsonShadowxX, and jazzybizzle for your reviews.

Sorry for taking so long updating this, but what can I say? My muse, she comes and goes.

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Two

Her heels clutched tightly in her left hand, Sally ran barefoot through the park, the grass tickling her feet. The moon's soft light bathed her in its comforting glow, and she tried to find somewhere to hide, least she be found by him.

Her movements were precise and fluid. She could feel her adrenaline pumping, her heart thudding rhythmically against her chest. Her hair had long since slipped free from its constricting bun and now flowed wildly in the breeze. Her breathing came out in inaudible pants, and her lungs burned with exertion as she hurriedly inhaled some much needed air before exhaling and repeating the cycle once more.

A fine sheen of sweat covered her body; drops of sweat trickled down her body before plopping onto the ground. Sally had never felt so alive before. She could feel him chasing her, hunting her down like the helpless prey that she was, and she _reveled_ in it. He was the hunter, the skilled, cunning predator. She could feel that smoldering, crimson gaze on her, and her heart began beating quicker in excitement.

Some bushes, medium in size and just tall enough to shield her from his watchful eyes, slowly came into her line of vision. If she could make it there, that pesky black hedgehog couldn't catch her. After all, those bushes were the base, and once she made it to said base, she was pretty much home free.

_Almost there… Just a little bit more…_

Her arm outstretched in front of her, her hands grasping at the air as if she could somehow hold it, Sally had almost made it to her desired destination. Victory was almost hers. Just as she was about to claim said victory, she found herself tumbling to the ground, her body doing a front flip before she crashed against the ground with a hard thud. A grunt escaped her lips, her eyes snapping shut from the unexpected impact.

Dizzy and recovering from the harsh impact, Sally slowly opened her eyes, dazedly staring into a familiar pair of red eyes. Shadow stared down at her, a victorious grin on his face that had no qualms with reminding her that she was the loser and he was the victor. His body was pressed firmly against hers, and her arms were pinned firmly down by his hands.

"You're it," Shadow happily declared, his eyes gleaming with mirth, something that both surprised and pleased her. It was a wonderful treat seeing him so open and genuinely enjoying himself. She smiled despite her all too apparent loss.

"That I am," Sally conceded, taking his offered hand and allowing him to help her to her feet. Her legs wobbled and felt slightly numb, and Shadow wrapped an arm around her waist, effectively steadying her.

"You held your own pretty well though, princess. I'm impressed." Sally felt herself blushing from his praise. It made her feel warm inside and giddy. The night breeze blew, cooling their fevered bodies down. Sally welcomed the soothing touch, sighing softly in pleasured relief.

"Well, I aim to please. Round two?" she asked. Shadow shook his head, smiling ruefully.

"As tempting as that is, I'm afraid it'll have to wait until another time. It's getting really late, and it'd be best to take you home. The last thing I need is to knock somebody's entire row of teeth out for checking you out," he said. His tone was playful, but at the same time protective and possessive? Huh, how strange, Sally mused. Surely, she had to have been hearing things.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, hedgehog. I'm covered in sweat and dirt, my hair's a mess, and I reek. Seriously, I smell like something died." When Shadow gave her a look, she grinned sheepishly. "Okay, so maybe I'm over exaggerating, but you get the point." Shadow scoffed at her, though the corners of his mouth were curved upward in a smirk that made her face burning with a blush.

"Either way, I'm taking you home." And before Sally had a chance to utter a single protest, Shadow was already scooping her up in his arms, carrying her via bridal style back to her home. Sally blushed, but the darkness of the night kept it hidden from Shadow's knowing eyes.

They were in front of her house faster than she could blink her eyes. It was times like these that she really, really loved Shadow's speed. It was pretty impressive. Gently, he helped her to her feet, walking her to her door.

The pair said nothing for a moment, opting to simply gaze at the other, faint smiles on both of their faces. Sally motioned towards her steps, silently asking him if he wanted to sit outside with her, to which he answered with a nod of his head. Together, they walked to her steps and sat down, shoulders touching, thighs grazing against each other.

Somehow, Shadow's hand found hers, and she couldn't find it within herself to let go. Besides, holding hands was nice; holding hands with Shadow was even better. Their fingers were lazily intertwined, their hands clinging together.

Sally wasn't even aware that she was cold until she was suddenly enveloped in a velvety warmth that reminded her of freshly baked gingerbread cookies her mom used to bake for her and her brother during the holiday season. Looking down, she saw that Shadow, ever the gentleman, had given her his jacket.

Nudging his shoulder, she gave him a grateful smile. He smirked in response, telling her without saying it that it was no problem. Was it strange that they had this silent telepathic communication thingie going on? Kinda, but it was strange in a good way.

"I enjoyed this date more than I initially thought," Shadow spoke, breaking the peaceful silence that surrounded them. Sally grinned, nodding her head in agreement. She twirled the charm of her necklace in her free hand, the coolness of the metal causing her to shiver slightly.

"So did I. It was really fun, y'know, for a date." She stumbled over her words like a kid tripping over their untied shoes, and she cursed herself for sounding so nervous. Shadow laughed quietly, tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. Sally swore her heart stopped beating, her breath lodged so tightly in her throat, she feared she was gonna choke.

"Would you mind going on another one with me?" His voice was confident and sure, but she could pick up the soft undertones of unsureness in it. His nervousness flattered her. It made her feel better she wasn't the only unsure of what they were doing or where whatever this thing was between them was going, should it go anywhere.

"I would love too, so long as it's with you. I mean, because I know you and like you. Um! Well, what I meant was-" A finger pressed itself against her lips, effectively shutting her up and halting her train of thoughts. Amused crimson eyes stared at her, lips tugged up into a small, barely there smile.

"I know what you mean." Silence fell between them once more. Sally sat there, basking in his company. Sneaking a glance at him, she suddenly felt bold.

"Hey, do you have a piece of paper and a pen?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. Slightly confused, Shadow let go of her hand, dug inside of his pocket and pulled out a blank slip of paper and pen. Taking it from him, she hurriedly scribbled down something before pressing said slip of paper against the palm of his outstretched hand.

A curious gleam in his eyes, Shadow read the paper, eyebrows slightly arched in mildly surprise. Meanwhile, Sally was gnawing away at the inside of her cheek, suddenly fidgety and nervous.

"You gave me your number," was his simple response. Numbly, she nodded her head.

"Yeah, so you can, y'know, shoot me a text when the urge hits you and vice versa." Her words came out quickly, stumbling over each other like building blocks crashing down. Shadow looked at her long and hard for several minutes before an all too familiar smirk made itself known on his face.

"Is that so, princess? Well, expect a text from me soon." He was soon helping her up again, and, pressing a kiss against her cheek, he bid her goodnight, leaving her standing there with a hand cupping the cheek his just kissed. It was warm and tingly from where his lips touched it.

Smiling softly, Sally whispered a goodnight to his retreating form and headed inside her house.


	3. Three

Three

Sally woke up with a smile on her face; her dreams were filled with the previous night's events. They kept dancing around in her head and refused to be forgotten, not that Sally wanted to forget it. No, she clung to the memories she and Shadow created last night, holding them to her very heart.

"God, I've been hanging around Amy too much," Sally joked as she sat up, pushing the warm covers off her pajama-clad body. A buzzing noise caught her attention, and, after seeing that it was her phone, she picked it up to see who had sent her a text.

She had expected it to be one of the girls asking her how did her little date go, but she was pleasantly surprised to see that it was from Shadow. Her cheeks were warm, and her heart began beating erratically to the point where she was tempted to alert the paramedics that she was in the process of having a heart attack.

_Good morning, princess. Last night was fun, more fun than I initially assumed it'd be. Feel up to having breakfast with me? My treat. - Shadow._ Grinning and feeling all of a sudden giddy, Sally was quick to text him okay and that she'd be ready in twenty or so minutes. She cradled the phone to her chest, a dazed, pleased smile on her face, though she wasn't sure what had gotten her spirits so high.

Surely it had nothing to do with a certain hedgehog treating her to breakfast, right?

_Of course not! Shadow's just being… friendly, that's all. Nothing more, nothing less, _her mind stubbornly argued. But even with such sound logic, the butterflies in her stomach refused to stop fluttering and the blush on her cheeks didn't immediately go away. Deciding not to think further on the matter, she hopped to her feet and proceeded to get ready. Fortunately for her, it didn't take her eons to get ready like most people.

* * *

_Ooh, aren't you the gentleman? Well, since you're offering, and I know arguing against you would be pointless, I would love to have breakfast with you! I'll be ready in twenty minutes. Can't wait to see you! - Sally._ Shadow kept rereading the text message over and over again until his eyes started to hurt.

He didn't know what possessed him to ask such a thing. It was an impulsive thought, and he acted on it without hesitation, something that seemed more like something Sonic or Silver would do. But not him. Shadow was all strategic and thoughtful and things of that nature. He usually had a goal in mind and a sound plan to achieve it.

But to act out on a mere whim? It simply seemed unlikely when regarding the Ultimate Lifeform. Then again, him doing that blind date thing was highly unlikely, and yet, he'd still done it and ended up having a good time too. He knew he would though. Sally wasn't quite like any girl he'd met.

She was all cool and collected, with beautiful auburn hair that was as soft as it looked, shimmering sapphire eyes that always had some sort of spark in their endless depths, and a smile that could warm even the iciest of hearts. She carried herself with confidence and grace, she was a highly capable leader as well as teammate, and in battle? She was nearly as brutal and ruthless as he was, though she only fought like that if she considered the foe/threat worthy.

Plus, Sally had substance. She wasn't empty-headed or idiotic like other girls. She was very intelligent, and Shadow enjoyed the conversations they shared immensely. With her, he felt like he could talk about pretty much anything. She listened patiently and without interrupting, and she offered good advice and opinions.

So, his mind reasoned, it wasn't that unlikely for him to welcome Sally's company because she was company worth keeping. Therefore, him taking her out for breakfast wasn't as out of the blue as he was making it sound. Besides, it's _Sally_. She was one of the few people whose presence didn't vex him. It would only make sense that he would hang out with her.

She was worth spending time with, again, his mind reasoned.

So, Shadow quickly got ready. He was soon stepping out his bathroom with a white towel wrapped snuggly around his waist. After drying himself off, he dug around in his dresser until he found something to wear. Picking out a navy-blue hoodie, black jogging pants, and a pair of boxers, Shadow got dressed, donned on his usual gloves and matching shoes, making sure his Inhibitor Rings were securely in place.

Deeming himself ready, he headed downstairs. He was silently praying that Silver and Sonic were still asleep, or, at the very least, _one_ of them weren't awake, but it seemed like life had other plans for him. No sooner than he walked into the living was he greeted with a cheery "Hey, Shadow! What's hanging?" from Sonic. Keeping his composure, he spoke.

"Nothing much, just going out for some breakfast," was his calm, simple response. Silver pouted, looking even more ridiculous in the apron he wore.

"Aww, Shadow. I just cooked us some breakfast! Plus, Tails, Knuckles, and Espio are coming over too. I thought we could all hang out, y'know, and have a good time," Silver said, absently brushing the flour stains off of his quills.

"Yeah, well, it'll have to wait," Shadow began, searching for the key to his motorcycle, "because I'm meeting someone and I said I wouldn't be late." Having found his key, he stuffed it in his hoodie's pouch before walking to the door, intent on making a clean exit. He could almost feel their knowing gazes burning holes in the back of his skull. It was frustrating.

"This someone wouldn't happen to be _Sally_, would it?" Sonic asked, his voice light and teasing and filled with _I know something you don't know!_ He didn't even cower under the vicious glare Shadow was giving him. He just sat there looking smug, mischief dancing in his emerald orbs.

Shadow's initial anger gave way to surprise. Was it that obvious, was _he_ that obvious? God, he was losing his touch if _Sonic_ and _Silver_ of all people could see through him, but the two were more perceptive than one would think. It was as the telekinetic hedgehog could read his thoughts, for he spoke.

"Um, Shadow, it's not that hard to tell. I mean, you've been on Cloud 9 since you spent all of yesterday night with her. Besides, Sally's good people. It would do you a load of good to spend more time with her. She's obviously a good influence on you, Mr. Doom and Gloom," the silver hedgehog joked, dodging the Chaos Spear hurled at him.

"Yeah, Shadow. Go on out and enjoy yourself. We'll be here waiting when ya get back from your little _date_. My, you're all grown up now, huh Shadow? You've finally found a girl of your own! For a second, I thought you were asexual or something." Again, Shadow hurled a Chaos Spear that Sonic evaded.

Grr, he must be slipping. Those two should've been fried. It must've been a lapse in his concentration. Either that or he was filling more merciful than he thought. Rather than comment or waste his breath arguing that he and Sally weren't like that, he flipped them off and stormed out of their apartment, ignoring the laughter that echoed behind him.


End file.
